B.A.S.S. buying FLW... Will it happen soon?

[Sam]

22 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I think I heard that the Elites Series will soon be an A-Rig only deal.

A-Rig All day Every Day.

Sort of like a Chinese Food Buffet.

Ok - maybe not  . . . . .

Be interested to see what if any the changes will be though

A-Jay

 

And here I am, thinking the Elites Series will be a Banjo Minnow, only deal.  

On a serious note, how about this:

 

Have a B.A.S.S. and an FLW tournament trail and the top 20 to 25 finishers in each go to the Bassmaster Classic.

 

Like the NFL, MLB, NHL, SEC, ACC, Big 10, etc. The top fishermen go on to the playoffs and the big game.

 

Now that would be interesting to see the top guys and gals from each tournament trail fish together.

 

And it will open the door for us B.A.S.S. guys to get to know the FLW boys and girls and have interest in their successes.

 

Plus the fact that a B.A.S.S. fishermen could also fish the FLW side without any consequences.

 

Thought?

 

P.S.  Us old guys remember the first Super Bowl between the Packers and Chiefs. It took Joe Namath of the old Jets in Super Bowl III to defeat the Baltimore Colts and it opened the door to the merger and started all of the NFL fans to start watching the upcoming new AFL teams. Could this happen in bass fishing????

 

 

[Mike L]

1 hour ago, nosdog2 said:

Scott Martin announced it on his Youtube channel while he was at the FWC banquet.  

 

1 hour ago, Burrows said:

Flw co anglers are coming back next year. Scott and billy anounced it on Scott’s channel.

 

Good News!

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Team9nine]

Haven't seen any of the mentioned videos or anything, so just an opinion...but I don't see:

 

> FLW changing their stance on co-anglers in 2019

 

> BASS and FLW merging in any way in the near future

 

...and the big wait and see in the room is the potential announcement coming from MLF later this month about their [possible] big expansion plans.

[burrows]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

Haven't seen any of the mentioned videos or anything, so just an opinion...but I don't see:

 

> FLW changing their stance on co-anglers in 2019

 

> BASS and FLW merging in any way in the near future

 

...and the big wait and see in the room is the potential announcement coming from MLF later this month about their [possible] big expansion plans.

Well I’m no insider nor will I ever be but this is the video that I was talking about 

 

[webertime]

10 hours ago, Logan S said:

Any credible source on this?  That's a pretty huge bombshell if true...Especially since good chunk of the field for the 2019 Classic are already qualified or likely to be qualified and the 2019 FLW Cup is set/scheduled as well.  Not to mention both schedules for 2019 are already announced.  I seriously doubt that's the case.    

 

I personally don't think MLF itself is 'the future', but I do think you'll see the Catch-Weigh-Release format come into play eventually...BASS already does for Texas Fest, the College Bracket, and the Classic Bracket.  It's a great idea that's catching on all the way down to the grassroots level, our club even does it for some tournaments.  

FLW pro (that has won in the last 2 years).

And the owner of a very popular bait manufacturer.

 

 

[Logan S]

53 minutes ago, webertime said:

FLW pro (that has won in the last 2 years).

And the owner of a very popular bait manufacturer.

 

 

Interesting...Don't take it personally, but I'll have to see that to believe it.  Supposedly whatever it is will be announced or something this week, so hopefully we won't have to wait long.  

[n8cas4]

FLW doesn't want anything to do with it, but if B.A.S.S. ever gets their ducks in a row and spends all their money, FLW won't be able to say no.  In my opinion, if it doesn't happen soon, it will eventually happen down the road.  

[redux]

After iCast there's been a few interviews (Stray Casts?) where there's been talk of a 3rd league and it sounds like that league is MLF.

 

As a tournament fan, I really like the idea for one reason--the amount of Greg Hackney in the world will increase exponentially. Period. End of story.

[Megastink]

Listen to Ike’s latest podcast and HE was hinting pretty hard at a new league. He even asked one of his guests (Sumerall?) if he would fish a new league if it meant more money but not qualifying for the classic. He also asked BTC if he would still watch Basmaster if the big names (KVD, Skeet, Swindle) weren’t fishing it...

 

He ends it by saying “Whatever happens, just know it’s going to be very good for the sport”...

 

somethings happening...Could be a big time deal, guys. 

[Team9nine]

They're supposed to find out more today. Still sounding like more likely to happen than less likely. We all might know more by the Holiday.

[12poundbass]

5 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

They're supposed to find out more today. Still sounding like more likely to happen than less likely. We all might know more by the Holiday.

I'll bet you know more than you're revealing. ??

[n8cas4]

Seems like it is pointing towards an MLF league like someone had mentioned a dozen or so posts back in this thread....

[n8cas4]

On ‎8‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 8:49 PM, webertime said:

100% isn't happening for one huge reason...

Next year MLF will have the top 75 pros from each in their new series.  The TOP pros are doing it exclusively.  2 huge payout tournaments and 3-5 pro level payout tournaments.   Current flw/BASS tournament model for pros is antiquated and is dying.  Why spend money to merge?

If this does happen and MLF has a new trail, BASS AND FLW will need to do something to compete.  It'll probably involve lowering the entry fees or upping the prize money, but if the new trail actually survives (unlike the PAA), there won't be much keeping FLW afloat as a TOP TIER league.  It will become more of a triple-A league (it kind of is now) and perhaps force them to sell out to BASS.  BASS is king simply because of the Bassmaster Classic.  I'm not sure how further division is going to grow the sport, though, unless MLF takes over everything!  Does Boyd really have THAT much money?

[Glenn]

Just an fyi, but MLF is indeed forming a new tournament trail.  I'm not under any NDA, but I probably shouldn't say anything else until all the details are worked out, and it's officially announced.

[Team9nine]

20 minutes ago, n8cas4 said:

If this does happen and MLF has a new trail, BASS AND FLW will need to do something to compete.  It'll probably involve lowering the entry fees or upping the prize money, but if the new trail actually survives (unlike the PAA), there won't be much keeping FLW afloat as a TOP TIER league.  It will become more of a triple-A league (it kind of is now) and perhaps force them to sell out to BASS.  BASS is king simply because of the Bassmaster Classic.  I'm not sure how further division is going to grow the sport, though, unless MLF takes over everything!  Does Boyd really have THAT much money?

Boyd has a lot, but Johnny's got WAY more ? He's the key player in the deal.

 

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/now/2018/03/06/where-does-bass-pros-johnny-morris-rank-among-worlds-billionaires/399905002/

[burrows]

52 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Boyd has a lot, but Johnny's got WAY more ? He's the key player in the deal.

 

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/now/2018/03/06/where-does-bass-pros-johnny-morris-rank-among-worlds-billionaires/399905002/

That’s him with George Bush ? I seen president George Bush’s compound in Texas in an interview he did a few years ago he has his own private waters the  former First Lady said they were all stocked with large mouth bass...

[Team9nine]

29 minutes ago, Burrows said:

That’s him with George Bush ? I seen president George Bush’s compound in Texas in an interview he did a few years ago he has his own private waters the  former First Lady said they were all stocked with large mouth bass...

...and Jimmy Carter in another photo or two. Both Bush's (I and II) are/were big anglers, and were members of B.A.S.S., and would often fish with Ray Scott (and others).

[n8cas4]

How the hell are three tours supposed to line up tourney dates ?

[webertime]

2 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Boyd has a lot, but Johnny's got WAY more ? He's the key player in the deal.

 

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/now/2018/03/06/where-does-bass-pros-johnny-morris-rank-among-worlds-billionaires/399905002/

Isn't Johnny the guy supplying those Nitros?

[Team9nine]

8 minutes ago, webertime said:

Isn't Johnny the guy supplying those Nitros?

Yep, which is why this whole thing is so interesting, and why this potential third major trail likely won't directly try and step on the toes of the other two organizations...it doesn't make good business sense. Johnny's Marine Group just signed a major sponsor extension with FLW, and both BPS and Nitro boats are sponsors of MLF along with BassCat and Phoenix.

[12poundbass]

Sounds like a win win win win win win and win for Mr. Morris

3 hours ago, Glenn said:

Just an fyi, but MLF is indeed forming a new tournament trail.  I'm not under any NDA, but I probably shouldn't say anything else until all the details are worked out, and it's officially announced.

Gee thanks for the tease Glenn. LOL

[Bass Turd]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the current MLF format set up NOT to have fans/events? They fish during the week at unannounced locations. Maybe it's just a TV only thing... It's hard to see how they can expand and compete with the other major tours. But hey... what do I know...

[12poundbass]

14 minutes ago, Bass Turd said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the current MLF format set up NOT to have fans/events? They fish during the week at unannounced locations. Maybe it's just a TV only thing... It's hard to see how they can expand and compete with the other major tours. But hey... what do I know...

You are correct. It's going to be interesting to see what they come up with. Who would've thought their current format would be as popular as it is. 

[Bass Turd]

2 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

You are correct. It's going to be interesting to see what they come up with. Who would've thought their current format would be as popular as it is. 

They did an amazing job figuring out how to work it so the pro's can work it into their schedules. Do we know who owns MLF? I've heard Denny Brauer but I'm sure he isn't alone. I've also heard they split money evenly so it's just bragging rights. It seems to me they cut out the middle man... the tour organizers.

[12poundbass]

24 minutes ago, Bass Turd said:

They did an amazing job figuring out how to work it so the pro's can work it into their schedules. Do we know who owns MLF? I've heard Denny Brauer but I'm sure he isn't alone. I've also heard they split money evenly so it's just bragging rights. It seems to me they cut out the middle man... the tour organizers.

There are a bunch of guys who own it including KVD. I believe Boyd Duckett was the one who came up with the concept.